Growing Gardens

with Anita Morton

Gently does it

What a difference a bit of rain makes - soil that was hard as a brick and not nearly so useful is now in perfect condition for planting. Fortunately, the rain came before the soil got too cold for good growing, so now is the perfect time to plant a few punnets of winter and spring flowering annuals. Earlier plantings have hardly grown at all in the hot dry conditions, but this batch will just race away.

I have to admit that I'm very mean when it comes to seedlings. I always buy the punnets with the most plants, even when they're all crammed together and common sense says that half of them will die if I try to separate them. Fortunately, I have a secret weapon when it comes to separating seedlings.

This method works with both individual cell punnets and single ones, no matter how small the seedlings are. Take a large basin and fill with water to at least five centimetres deep. Add a capful of seaweed emulsion - it does help to minimise transplant shock. Put the punnet of seedlings into the water and get it thoroughly wet, then knock out the contents into the water. Swish the water around with your hand very gently. The potting mix will fall away, leaving the individual seedlings floating on the surface.

You may have to pull some clumps apart, but it will be easier without the potting mix holding everything together. Always handle seedlings by the leaves, rather than the stems, as they won't recover from a crushed stem. When the plants are all separated, either pot them up or put them straight into the garden if large enough. Give them a drink of weak seaweed solution to get them off to a good start, and remember to water well until they are growing strongly.

Lismore Garden Club News

The highlight of the Lismore Garden Club May meeting last Thursday was an informative talk on 'Orchids in the Garden' by Steven Muldoon from the Lismore Orchid Society. The June meeting will be held on June 2 at the Goonellabah home of Ron and Nita Burns. Visitors are most welcome. For further information phone Ron on 6624 7422 or 0421 021 451.

Indoor plants need less water in the winter. If they are dry to touch they can be watered in the morning with tepid water. Move indoor plants to a spot near a north or east facing window. Try to avoid using heaters in the vicinity of the plants. Or if you must have a heater in the room place your plants on trays of pebbles and water to stop the air from drying out. Cut out fertiliser over winter and resume fertilising again in spring.

Strawberries should be planted this month. Plant them in a raised bed in a sunny spot in your vegie or flower garden. Dig in some dynamic lifter two weeks before planting. Be sure to use only certified virus free plants and water in with Seasol for a flying start. After one week give plants half strength liquid fertiliser and mulch with straw.

Finally: Every generation thinks it has the answers, and every generation is humbled by nature. (Phillip Lubin.)

Happy gardening
Ron Burns